Male nurse charged with offences against mental health patient

A male psychiatric nurse appeared in court on Friday charged with causing actual bodily harm to a mental health patient.

Patrick Maguire, whose age is unknown, was also charged with the ill-treatment of the alleged victim who was under his care at the Rosebrook Unit, Bluestone at Craigavon Hospital on October 27 last year.

Maguire, from Tollymore Brae in Newcastle, was further charged with causing criminal damage to the male patient’s false teeth and attempting to pervert the course of justice by “making an entry on the Datix system and handover sheet”.

A police officer told Craigavon Magistrates Court that he believed he could connect the defendant to each of the charges while a prosecuting lawyer asked for the case to be adjourned to February 2.

A defence solicitor applied for legal aid, revealing that Maguire had worked as a psychiatric nurse but had been suspended from his job and had no income.

Putting the case back to February 2, District Judge Bernie Kelly adjourned the legal aid matter to find out “who was putting a roof over his head”.